Hot off the Press! The State Report is Out: How Did Your State Do???

DECEMBER 10, 2023

Now Available

Our annual report on state fiscal health. Debt among the states improved slightly. Going from $1.2 trillion down to $938.6 billion. 

What happened? 

How did your state do? Read the full report below. 

https://www.truthinaccounting.org/news/detail/financial-state-of-the-states-2023

Accounting is a methodology for measuring value. It's the process of identifying, measuring, and communicating economic information to enable well-informed assessments and choices for those who rely on the informationgood accounting matters!  

 

Wisconsin Assembly Speaker explains how federal COVID relief has a negative impact on other legislation

JANUARY 25, 2022 | BROWNFIELD AG NEWS | by Larry Lee

By Larry Lee, includes “The Speaker of the Wisconsin Assembly Robin Vos says there’s a downside to Wisconsin getting federal coronavirus relief. ‘We are really hampered by the ability to spend state dollars because it creates this maintenance-of-effort requirement for us to spend money in other areas of the budget.’ …”

Wisconsin scores 80 out of 100 in financial transparency study

DECEMBER 6, 2021 | WISCONSIN BUSINESS DAILY | by Editorial

Includes “Wisconsin earned a score of 80 out of a possible 100 points in a ranking by the Chicago-based policy institute Truth in Accounting (TIA), putting the state in a tie for 21st place among the 50 states. … In awarding the grades, TIA considered whether the state data was posted within 100 days of the end of the state’s fiscal year, … ” 

New study measures financial transparency among state governments

NOVEMBER 16, 2021

PRESS RELEASE

Majority of state finances worsened during beginning of pandemic

SEPTEMBER 28, 2021

PRESS RELEASE - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Financial State of the States 2021

SEPTEMBER 28, 2021

Truth in Accounting's twelfth annual Financial State of the States report, a nationwide analysis of the most recent state government financial information.

Study: State worker pension plans in best shape since 2008

SEPTEMBER 15, 2021 | THE WASHINGTON POST | by Geoff Mulvihill

By Geoff Mulvihill, includes “The Pew Charitable Trust report credits a booming stock market over the past year as well as states’ longer-term steps, which include boosting taxpayer contributions to public pension funds and reducing promised retirement benefits, particularly to newly hired workers. … The health of public pension systems resonates beyond government employees.”

Wisconsin budget watchdog suggests offering residents state stimulus checks

MARCH 25, 2021 | APG MEDIA OF WISCONSIN | by Benjamin Yount

By Benjamin Yount (The Center Square), includes “One suggestion for how Wisconsin can spend the $5 billion it is receiving from the federal government. Give it to the people.”

Tony Evers’ budget takes nearly #2 billion chunk out of state’s improving financial situation

FEBRUARY 22, 2021 | WISCONSIN STATE JOURNAL | by Mitchell Schmidt

By Mitchell Schmidt, includes “… Under cash modified accrual accounting, the method used by the state for balancing the budget, a credit card purchase in December wouldn't be logged as an expense until January, when the bill is due to be paid.”

Biden’s spending plan puts swing-state Democrats in a bind

JANUARY 20, 2021 | THE POST & COURIER (SOUTH CAROLINA) | by Michael Graham

Impeachment is easy. Governing is hard. That may be the lesson Democrats on Capitol Hill are about to learn as President-elect Joe Biden prepares to take office. … But the plan also includes a $350 billion bailout of state and local governments, many of them poorly governed and chronically in debt

No taxpayer state bailouts for incompetence and corruption

JANUARY 19, 2021 | MADISON ST. CLAIR COUNTY RECORD | by Jim Tobin

Joe Biden, the crazy uncle who escaped from the attic long enough to get himself elected, is proposing massive subsidies for Blue States that are circling the drain.

Report: Wisconsin sees big deficit, difficult budget session next year

DECEMBER 7, 2020 | MADISON.COM (WISCONSIN) | by Mitchell Smith

Wisconsin’s split government could face the most challenging budget session in a decade next year as state spending is projected to exceed revenues by about $373.1 million — without taking into account Medicaid costs and new spending requests from state agencies, according to a new report.

Despite expected $2 billion budget shortfall, Wisconsin state superintendent seeks $1.4 billion budget increase

NOVEMBER 12, 2020 | THE CENTER SQUARE – WISCONSIN | by Benjamin Yount

Wisconsin State Superintendent of Schools Carolyn Stanford Taylor on Monday submitted a budget request for the Department of Public Instruction that is $1.4 billion larger than the current budget.

Thirty-nine states ill-prepared for coronavirus pandemic

SEPTEMBER 22, 2020

The 2020 Financial State of the States report surveys the fiscal health of the 50 states prior to the coronavirus pandemic. This data is released today by Truth in Accounting (TIA), a think tank that analyzes government financial reporting.

Time will tell whether staggering debt will eventually lead to crisis

JULY 15, 2020 | MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL | by Tom Saler

The thing about tipping points is that you never quite know where they are until you, well, tip.

Advent Tool & Manufacturing relocating headquarters from Illinois to Kenosha County

JULY 10, 2020 | MILWAUKEE BUSINESS JOURNAL | by Margaret Maczek

Advent Tool & Manufacturing Inc., a manufacturer of high-precision tooling products, said Wednesday it will move its headquarters from Antioch, Illinois, to Salem Lakes in Kenosha County.

Heads they win, tails taxpayers lose: Calpers doubles down on risky investments

JUNE 16, 2020 | FORBES | by Elizabeth Bauer

Regular readers will recall that I frequently promote the Wisconsin Retirement System as a model in which its shared-risk structure, along with sound governance in general, keeps the plan fully funded, year after year. 

43 GOP state lawmakers bash Illinois and urge rejection of federal bailout of states

MAY 11, 2020 | MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL

For 43 Wisconsin Republican lawmakers, the urge to bash Illinois and go on record against bailouts for state governments during the coronavirus pandemic was just too good to pass up.

State budget surplus forecasted at $342 million

MAY 5, 2020 | RIVERTOWNS.NET (MINNESOTA)

Governor Scott Walker's administration says the current two-year state budget is expected to end with a $342-million surplus next June 30th. But for the next budget, state agencies have asked for $171-million dollars more than the funding that's expected to be available.

Illinois’ shameless, dishonest ask for a federal bailout

APRIL 24, 2020 | CHICAGO TRIBUNE

It is not surprising an Illinois politician finally put in writing what economists and financial watchdogs have been warning for years: That elected officials who failed to take seriously decades of fiscal warning bells in this state eventually would seek a bailout from the federal government.

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